Layered Pumpkin and Walnut Cake with Chocolate and Carmel frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped toasted California walnuts

for the caramel frosting-
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup caramel syrup (I used the Hersheys brand, meant for ice cream)
1 cup powdered sugar

for the chocolate frosting-
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons toffee bits
1/3 cup chopped toasted California walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet (with high sides-sheet pan) with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

In stand mixer or large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color, 1 minute. Whip in vanilla, eggs and pumpkin until blended. Scrape sides and briefly mix again. Measure out all dry ingredients and add them in all at once. Mix on a low speed until all ingredients are moist. Scrape down the sides and mix again. Stir in sour cream. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chopped walnuts by hand. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 15-18 minutes or until cake is cooked thoroughly. (Make sure to check it at 15!) Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.

For the caramel frosting, whip butter, vanilla and caramel syrup together until well blended. Whip powdered sugar into mixture until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and whip again until light in color, 1-2 minutes. Remove from bowl and divide into two equal portions. Set aside.

Using the same bowl, whip butter, vanilla and cocoa together until well blended. Stir in powdered sugar. This mixture may look very dry, so with the mixer on, trickle in the milk. Scrape bowl and whip again until light in color, 1-2 minutes. Remove from bowl and divide into two equal portions.

For assembly, cut cooled cake into 4 equal strips width wise. Carefully remove 1 strip of cake and place onto serving platter. Top with half of chocolate frosting, being sure to have thicker frosting around the edges and thinner frosting in the middle. Repeat this process alternating the chocolate and caramel frostings, finishing with caramel. Top cake with chopped walnuts and toffee bits. Serve.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars

For the bars

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup rolled quick oats

For the filling

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs

For the drizzle

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350

To make the bars

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and molasses until creamy. Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Reserve 3/4 cup of this mixture and place in a small bowl. Scoop the remaining mixture into a 10″ x 15″ baking pan lightly coated with nonstick spray.

Add the oats to the reserved mixture and mix until combined – set aside.

To make the filling

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves – mix until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined. Scoop the mixture over the uncooked base and use an off-set spatula to evenly spread the mixture over the top. Crumble reserved oat mixture over filling.

Bake until the topping is a golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the drizzle

In a small bowl, mix together confectioners’ sugar, butter and vanilla. Mix in just enough milk until the mixture will easily flow from a spoon – drizzle over cooled bars.

Braided Challah Bread

Grape Salad

2 lbs red or green grapes (or both)

8 oz softened cream cheese

8 oz sour cream

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

3/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. finely chopped pecans

1/2 c. shredded coconut

Wash grapes and de-stem(?).

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over grapes, and stir until evenly coated.

Mix the brown sugar, pecans, and coconut. Stir in just before serving.

Once I used honey flavored Zoi greek yogurt as the creamy base instead, and it tasted similar, but I missed the cream cheese flavor. Definitely a healthier switch though.

Harry Potter/Thanksgiving Feast; Kell's contribution

Holiday Stuffing (Kell)

1 1/2 cubed whole wheat bread

3 3/4 cubed white bread

1 lb Pork sausage

1 c chopped onion

3/4 c chopped celery

2 1/2 tsp dried sage

1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 or 2 golden delicious apples

3/4 c dried cranberries

1/3 c parsley

3/4 c chicken/turkey stock

4 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.  Spread bread in single layer on baking sheet.  Bake 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl.  In a large skillet cook sausage and onions on medium heat till browned.  Add celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  Cook till flavors blend (2 minutes)  Pour sausage mixture over bread.  Add cranberries, chopped apples, parsley, stock, and butter.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.

Salted Caramel Pie (Kell)

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 pk)

6 T butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

two 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Fleur de sel (chunky salt)

2 C heavy whipping cream

2 T confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  In food processor pulse graham cracker, brown sugar and butter together.  Press into 9" pie plate.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Let cool.  Increase oven temp to 425.

Scrape 2 cans Sweetened condensed milk into 9x13 baking dish and cover with foil.  Place baking dish in a roasting pan.  Add enough water to roasting pan to come 1/3 of the way up the baking dish.  Bake for 2 hours, lifting foil and stirring 2-3 times through cooking process. (If caramel comes out a little lumpy, don't worry.  It will smooth out as it chills)

Scrape caramel into pie crust and sprinkle with fleur de sel.  Cover with plastic and chill for 4 hours.

Whip 2 cups cream till soft peaks.  fold in 2 T confectioners sugar.  When ready to serve, spread over caramel.

Serve if desired with crisp tart apples.

The Green Jello Ladies

Alright my ladies, I hope Green Jello Ladies was a suitable name. After our Harry Potter/Thanksgiving feast, the idea to blog was suggested as a means to share the recipes. So here we go.

Let's eat.